The National Association of Passport and Visa Services (NAPVS) was formed in May 2004 to address the industry’s long-term business and policy needs.
The mission of National Association of Passport and Visa Services is to represent the interests of the U.S. passport and visa services industry and to increase consumer and business confidence in using passport and visa services to obtain expedited passports.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
REPRESENT INDUSTRY INTERESTS
NAPVS represents industry interests before the U.S. Passport Agency and the embassy’s and consulates of foreign governments located in the U.S. NAPVS meets and regularly communicates with Passport Services officials to resolve problems faced by passport and visa services (PVS) companies.
Changes in Local Passport Services Policies and Procedures: Our activities have resulted in the following:
- Houston agreeing to accept next day applications,
- San Francisco allowing same days,
- LA agreeing to open a second window so that all firms could get their daily applications submitted before the closing time,
- Chicago agreeing to implement a 2 week grace period before implementing the new, reduced slot allocations, and
- Passport Services agreeing to accept comments and modify the initial National Hand Carry Procedures first issued in February 2007. One example of a change recommended by NAPVS and accepted by Passport Services was removing the restriction that only one person could submit applications for one company to instead allowing one person to submit applications for multiple companies as long as that person is properly registered with the local office as representing multiple firms.
NAPVS has secured strong letters of support for the services our industry provides from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), the National Business Travel Association, The Cruise Lines International Association, The Travel Industry Association, and the Travel Business Roundtable. These letters requested Passport Services increase the daily applications individual firms can submit and were sent to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services.
NAPVS also meets with members of Congress and their staff to resolve ongoing problems in meeting American citizens’ needs in obtaining expedited passports. These meetings have led to legislative language in the Department of States Appropriations on the importance of passport services companies to meeting the expedited needs of citiznes.
INFORM
NAPVS communicates at least once a month via e-mail with its members on association activities and key developments/news affecting the future of the industry. Our communications keep members informed on the latest national and regional developments at Passport Services.
PROMOTE
NAPVS serves as an industry resource for the media such as the New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. NAPVS also issues press releases on important association and industry activities to the travel and business media.
A Source for New Customer Leads: The NAPVS web site is becoming a source where Americans can go to and get a list of firms with links to their web sites. In addition to the NAPVS web site’s address being mentioned in news reports, the site is also featured on the Travel Industry Association’s web site, www.getapassportnow.com, launched in December 2006.
IMPROVE INDUSTRY PRACTICES
NAPVS developed a Code of Conduct that all members must adopt. The Code enables Members to stand out among the other passport and visa services firms. Through its promotion activities, NAPVS will help market members as providing a superior service through the requirements of the Code.
Firms ready to advance the industry and implement the good business practices required by NAPVS Code of Conduct should click on the Join Now button to become a member.